ermany saw the necessity for
heroic action, and her people, anxious to improve from the standpoint of
her industries at home not only, but that they might rival and surpass
their neighbors across the "Silver Streak" readily took up the cry for
advanced scientific training. This then was the object of the Technische
Hochschulen:[2]

"They were intended to secure for science a foothold in the workshop, to
assist with the light of reasoned theory the progress of arts and
industry, till then fettered by many a prejudice and hindered through
lack of knowledge; on the other hand, they sought to raise that part of
the nation engaged in industry to such a love of culture as would secure
to it its due measure of public respect."

[Footnote 2: Note on the earlier History of the Technical High School in
Germany by A. E. Twentyman in Special Reports on Educational Subjects,
London, Vol 9, page 468.]

The dates of the founding of the now existing Technische Hochschulen
vary somewhat, certain of the schools growing out of a foundation which
at the beginning was of a low or intermediate grade. Several of the
schools have passed through a period of transition or reorganization
state during the course of their existence. The institution, and time of
establishment of each are as follows.

Berlin, 1799
Carlsruhe, 1825
Munich, 1827
Dresden, 1828
Stuttgart, 1829
Brunswick, 1835
Darmstadt, 1868
Aachen, 1870
Hannover, 1879

In 1799 was instituted in Berlin the Bauakademie, a State institution
whose purpose was set forth in the royal decree thus:

"To train in theoretical and practical knowledge capable surveyors,
architects, civil engineers, and masons, principally for the King's
dominions, but foreigners may find admittance if no disadvantage accrue
thereby to the King's subjects."

Later, in 1821, Gewerbeschule came into existence, and in 1879 the union
of these two formed the Berlin Technische Hochschule which is located in
Charlottenburg, a suburb of the city. Owing to the high standards of
this institution, it is styled the Koenigliche Technische Hochschule.
Since its reorganization the plans of the other schools of like
character have been modified in accordance with the Berlin scheme.

The preparation necessary for admission to the Hochschulen is equivalent
to that demanded by the university proper. The age of admission probably
never drops below seventeen